SoccerMomby2

After being back in the UK for almost 18 months, we are now thinking of going back. We are lucky that DH has a job offer and we will get a new L!.
Kids are fine with going back, we still have friends and will go back to the same school and the same area. Have contacted the kids old school and they are happy to have them slot right back in (even though we are coming back late in the school year)

So I am ok with this, OH wants to go back (always has really) and I do think the school suits the kids better than the one they attend here (even though the school here is very good but there are differences in the U.S and U.K curricukum and I think the style of learning in U.S suited my kids better)

What I am , well, uneasy with are the following:

1. We have been in the U.S for 5 years before. It was fine, we liked it, but to me it never seemed permanent. Not sure if this time it will seem any different. I think I will still see this as being an adventure with an end date on. Which would be OK if it was just me and OH, but with 2 preteen kids we cannot ping pong around for ever.

2. Other choice is to go to Dublin (I was born and brought up there, so this appeals to me) But Irish economy not good right now (to put it mildly) So OH might be fine for work but what about the kids in years to come?

3. We will be going back to NW suburbs of Illinois. A nice area, but bland in terms of scenery. And a brutal winter. We all agree winter would be fine (and the snow is fun) but up to a point. The winter in Illinois is abiout 2 months too long for my liking.

4. This is me being lazy now. But the thoughts of upping sticks again and moving everyone, and getting them settled back in school (and doing catchup as the Illinois school is well ahead in math and science at least) plus the inevitable jollying everyone along in the early days, just leaves me feeling exhausted already. We are settled here, have a nice house in nice area, kids have friends in schools, lots of sport outside school, WHY ARE WE LEAVING?

5. Well, big reason we are leaving is that the job offer OH has for U.S is a 'bit' better than the one he has here (and we would be a bit better off in terms of standard of living. Plus we wouldn't have school fees (kids at private school here) Also OH does a travel job here, away all week so hard for us to have a normal family life. But even he is wondering if it is worth making a huge move again just to get a job with less travel for him.

6. OH works for a large U.S multinational with a dept experienced with applying for visas. We shouldn't be a complicated case, have had L visas before with no issues. Very best case, has anyone any ballpark timescales on how fast the visas could come thru for us? I know RFE's can come up etc, but with premium processing are we talking 2 months or less?


Random, jumbled thoughts, just had to put them down somewhere. Thanks for reading, if you have got this far.

ian-mstm

There's a cure for that... have the company sponsor you for GCs.

Ian

SoccerMomby2

Ian,
They would (and have offered in the past). But it's us that don't want to make the move permanent. Even if I had a green card I believe I would still think of returning to UK.

AmerLisa

But in this instance (should you move here) your children are probably one of your biggest considerations. You say they are preteens and you don't want them ping ponging back and forth, I can understand that. I personally would be worried that they would settle in, go through high school, and then at some crucial point, perhaps, be forced to move back.

SoccerMomby2

Yes, if we go back this time we will go the green card route, because I too envisage my kids not wanting to come back to the UK in a few years time.
I guess OH and I can think of returning when we retire and kids are thru college etc.

Jerseygirl

Would you want to go back to the UK and leave your kids and possibly grandchildren in the US? That's the dilemma many of us face.

SoccerMomby2

No....I wouldn't. and I have thought about this at length. I guess what we would do in that case is a sort of split year, in the U.S and the U.K.

At the same time, even if I stay in the UK there is a reasonable chance that my kids might decide to live in another country. I suppose all we can hope for is that when we are at that stage we have the health and money to travel and visit!

avanutria

Does the new job include good health insurance for all of you? If it doesn't, you may find you're spending just as much in the US as you are now, even without the school fees.

Rete

The best scenario is obtain the L visa, then the green card, when eligible become US Citizens and if the kids are under the age of 18 at that time, they become USC's as well and then everyone can live anywhere they wish (not Canada, however).

E3only

Honestly!

No brainer to me. Applying for GC and getting a US passport is completely seperate issue to the 'but we don't want this move to be permanent'..

GC/USC will mean more options. Of course, I am not an expert when it comes to having a dual citizenship and impacts in taxation etc but over all I know I would kill for a GC application from my employer ..Okay not 'kill' but you get it....

dunroving

Overall, your post gives the impression there is no really compelling reason to return to the US - so why are you returning? TBH, you sound pretty half-hearted about it at times, so maybe you should put it off until you are sure.

I think this is another example of the paradox of choice.

Englishmum

That's exactly what I was thinking, especially after reading #4!

Perhaps the O/P might also like to consider the high cost of university education in the US....

SoccerMomby2

Yes, university cost has been factored in and compensated for.


Thanks everyone for your responses.

Mummy in the foothills

I'll tackle #2
Dublins economy is bad? So is the US and it doesn't look like improving any time soon, so thats a wash. Chances of work for the lads when they get older, in the US 0 unless they get there green cards or citizenship as they'll age out and have to leave anyway.

davidw76

Me too.

We came back a second time even though our life in the UK was very comfortable. We did so because, first time round we had to leave the US against our wishes even though we had intended to stay.

There's no way we would have returned here if there wasn't an excellent chance of it being permanent this time.

For us, another temporary stay just wouldn't have been worth the hassle.